Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are extensively used in electronic applications where electrical conduction and optical transparency are both required. Some example applications include liquid crystal displays (LCDs) organic light emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, etc. Presently, indium tin oxide (ITO) is widely used because of it's high transparency, low resistivity, and high work function. One drawback to ITO is limited chemical stability at higher temperatures.
Magnesium-doped zinc oxide materials are a promising alternative to ITO due to properties such as a wide band gap, and compatibility with gallium nitride, low electrical resistivity, high transparency, etc. However, magnesium-doped zinc oxide formation methods such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or sputtering do not provide films or other structures of the quality, ease of manufacture, and cost necessary for some device applications.
What are needed are methods to form magnesium-doped zinc oxide films that produce improved structures with improved properties such as transparency, resistivity, crystallinity, step coverage, mechanical properties, etc. What are also needed are improved magnesium-doped zinc oxide films, structures, etc. and devices utilizing these structures to take advantage of the improved properties.